Liverpool are now the runaway favourites to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita following developments on Sunday, according to the latest bookmakers’ odds.
Sky Bet priced the Merseyside giants at 4/9 on Sunday evening to capture the dazzling Bundesliga midfielder before the transfer window shuts on 3 September.
Liverpool are a long way clear in the betting of the next-best priced club, with Tottenham and Bayern Munich both priced at a distant 18/1.
The odds have been slashed on Jurgen Klopp’s side signing Keita in the last three days, with Sky Bet pricing them on Thursday at 11/10 to sign the 22-year-old.
The latest prices make it narrowly more likely that Keita will move to Liverpool than that he will stay at Leipzig, which is priced at 13/8.
The shift in odds comes after journalist Amadou Makadji, who reports in Keita’s native Guinea for the site Foot 224, claimed in a series of Twitter messages on Sunday afternoon that the Merseysiders are making significant progress in their bid to sign Keita.
Makadji reported on his personal Twitter account that Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp held talks with the 18-times international on Saturday and the English club will follow up with a concrete bid for his services on Sunday night.
Makadji added that Keita is set to meet with Leipzig officials, including the club president, on Monday to tell them he wants to quit and join Liverpool.
#Transfert, #Klopp a parlé avec #Naby samedi et Liverpool transmettra ce soir une offre concrète à #Leipzig. Klopp le veut coûte que coûte
— Amadou Makadji ???????? (@makadjiamadou) July 2, 2017
#Transfert #Naby va rencontrer le président de #Leipzig lundi. Ce dernier tentera de le convaincre pour calmer ses envie de départ.
— Amadou Makadji ???????? (@makadjiamadou) July 2, 2017
#Transfert le salaire proposé au Guinéen serait désormais de 150 000 euros par semaine au lieu de 140 000.
— Amadou Makadji ???????? (@makadjiamadou) July 2, 2017
There is a growing sense that Klopp could land one of his main reported targets even though reports in Germany have stated that Leipzig have slapped a £70million valuation on him.
Liverpool have already made one major splash in this summer’s transfer market by paying £34million rising to a potential £39million to take Mohamed Salah from Roma last month.
Like Salah, Keita had an outstanding 2016-2017 domestic campaign both as goalscorer and creator following his arrival from Red Bull Salzburg last summer.
His 31 league appearances from a relatively deep position yielded eight goals and eight assists as he helped Leipzig clinch a Champions League group stage place.